Twin babies benefit from a generous donation towards a special cot

Twin babies who need extra care when they are born will be able to stay together in the neonatal unit at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital thanks to the efforts of a group of fundraisers.

June Bond decided she wanted to help other parents with twins after her granddaughter Jemma Lewis gave birth to identical twin boys, Jacob and Joey. The twins arrived 11 weeks early and both needed extra care, with Jacob transferred to Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth for specialist treatment, while Joey stayed in Basingstoke.

June says: "Jacob was reunited with Jemma and Joey shortly after receiving the expert care he needed. When the twins reached the age of three, Jemma and I decided to raise money for the neonatal unit. We had a discussion with the matron who was thrilled by our offer and suggested a twin cot to house newborn twins together and keep them close to their families."

June held a fundraising afternoon tea at the Basingstoke Conservative Social Club followed by a raffle full of prizes donated by local shops. The event raised £1,700, which was donated to the Hampshire Hospitals Charity and used to purchase the twin cot.

June adds: "Seeing the cot on the ward and hearing stories from staff about the positive effect our donation has had on parents and their babies has been fantastic."